Brown University has completed the installation of an outdoor Emergency Siren Warning System (BrownSiren) on its main campus. The system consists of three strategically placed sirens that will be used to warn the University community in the event of a life threatening emergency.

If a life threatening emergency is identified where a campus wide BrownSiren activation is necessary, the Department of Public Safety will activate the system. The activation will consist of an alert tone and a voice message regarding the nature of the emergency. Additionally the University will utilize BrownAlert (web based notification system) and the web site to provide further information via telephone, email, or text messaging.

The City may activate their Reverse 911 System to provide the details of the siren activation to campus neighbors.

Students, faculty, staff, and visitors who hear the siren should seek shelter by immediately going inside of a nearby building. The system will be used to alert people to go indoors to shelter-in-place and seek additional information by doing the following:

Limit non-emergency outgoing communications so as not to overburden the phone system

Once an emergency has been resolved the BrownSiren and other communication methods will be utilized to inform people that the emergency is over.

Examples of emergencies where the BrownSiren would likely be activated include:

Hostile Intruder (Active Shooter)

Large Chemical Release near Campus

Natural Disasters (Tornado)

Additional Information

System tests will be advertised at this website and will be announced in advance. When the system is activated for a test, no action is necessary and there is no need to seek shelter.

Although the sirens will be loudest within the limits of campus, close proximity neighbors will be able to hear the warning system.

If you are indoors when the siren is activated, it is not expected that you will hear the sirens or the voice message that follows. If the siren system were to be used during an actual emergency, information would also be sent through the BrownAlert System and on the Brown homepage.